Kathel Bridwell
'Kathel Bridwell '''is the eldest daughter of the (in)famous Lord-Marcher Samuel Bridwell, and the heir to the March of Tamwych. Set to inherit not only her father's lands and titles, but also their family's reputation, the young Kathel has spent much of her life preparing to embrace her inevitable responsibilities. Though she was to spend her childhood stalking the halls of Castle Tamwych or roaming the surrounding woods and farmland, the Bridwell heritor has recently been initiated into the nigh-legendary Order of the Dragon, and now arrives to the capital to begin her training as a squire. __FORCETOC__ Appearance Held, and holding herself, to the rigorous standards expected of future Knights of the Dragon - and Bridwells, - Kathel is the very image of a fit, physically active young woman. Just about average in height, some might describe her as perhaps a little lanky; nonetheless, sheltered as she is from the ways of courtly life, the Lady Bridwell is and has always been more concerned with function over form, constantly preoccupied with pushing herself to whatever limits might be necessary to overcome the next challenge set before her. In some ways, Kathel is something of a mirror of her father. She has his pale complexion, and his pitch-black hair that clash with it so; though hers, naturally, runs far longer, and is typically kept in a half-tidy braid so as to get it out of the way. Her face is starting to mature into a sharp gauntness, further accentuated by the pronounced cheekbones of a well-bred West Breton aristocrat. Perhaps it is because her stock is so obvious in her facial features that the future Lady-Marchess's wardrobe is woefully lacking in the typical bits, bobs and toys befitting a young lady of noble birth. Instead, it is all dresses whose cut borders on "woefully plain", a number of them in various states of disrepair at any given time; protective corsets of boiled leather; simple boots, fit for wading through the countryside; and whatever bits of armour that she managed to scavenge from the armouries of her ancestors. Biography The firstborn daughter of Samuel Bridwell and Anna Bridwell-Laterley, Kathel had a difficult birth. The same complications that claimed her mother's life also threatened to nip hers in the bud; it was equal parts luck and the skill of the healers in the Bridwells' employ that saved her, and even then her early years were plagued by illness, and punctuated by various courses of treatment - spells, potions and witchery all. Those were dark days in Tamwych; and hence it seemed all the brighter when Samuel's heir finally bloomed into a healthy young girl. Freed from the trappings of warding stones and overmany brews, Kathel's life then began in earnest. Much of her childhood was spent on carefree adventures in and around the forbidding Castle Tamwych, always under the watchful eye of (and sometimes, with a little help from) her father. They were all but inseparable then; wherever Samuel's cape swished on through, his retainers and servants soon learned to expect his daughter too. Even when he finally remarried - dutifully, at King Camaron's request, - and then went on to become the father of two other children, it seemed obvious that there was a bond between the Lord-Marcher and his firstborn that would not be easily broken. Duty called. The future Lady-Marchess was only eight when her father first left for the battlefields of the War of Tulunese Succession - left her at the castle gates, choking back tears and little but their family's motto and a parting embrace for comfort. Across Tulune and well into the thick forests of Glenpoint, Samuel lived ''duty before honour, and his daughter heard only half-whispers and rumours of it. She learned a lot over those two years. She learned of the problems a castle, a March faced day-to-day, none of which she'd noticed before. She learned who meant trouble, and who could help clean it up. She learned to be a Bridwell, for her little step-siblings and for herself. The Bone-Wheel turned, unyielding, and finally Samuel returned to his home - for a short while. Then he left again; and returned. And again, and again. Each time he left, he left Kathel with more responsibilities. Each time he returned, she wondered more and more if and why she couldn't go with him. Each time he returned, he found her ever more the little knight, dreaming of Daggerfall - the capital of the West's knightly covens. And now the day has come, at last, when her fantasies fall within arm's reach. Sixteen years old and all but regent for her father, Kathel finally got her wish. Now, the gates of Daggerfall are just one hill beyond, and she begins her own duty to the Tower - a squire to the Order of the Dragon. Talents Whether Kathel Bridwell is best summed up as "refreshingly down-to-earth" or "one step removed from a peasant" depends entirely on who you ask. Kept far from the intrigues and high fashions of the capital by her father's (over)protective nature and responsibilities at home alike, the future Lady-Marchess knows only the bare basics of etiquette - and even those shreds represent largely the standpoint of a knight, not a proper lady of the court. Instead of needlework, she was taught self-defence, with a sword and without; instead of learning to appreciate art, she has familiarized herself with the ins and outs of running a castle. A budding spellsword and an enthusiastic squire, Kathel's talents and education are perhaps best understood thusly: she has been raised to be neither lord nor lady, but instead - a Bridwell. And while it will take some time still before she truly grows into the role, with the knightly capital of the West within arm's reach, it seems only a matter of time. Category:Characters Category:Breton Category:Nobility Category:Daggerfall